While it’s nice to have variety on a menu, sometimes I welcome limited choice, which is why I’m a fan of Prix Fixe. Of course, it has to be at a good restaurant and preferably not during one of those ‘licious events. A perfect example of one I enjoy is Pizza Libretto (221 Ossington Ave.) and their great three-course fixed-price lunch menu that’s only $15.

Libretto is the only restaurant in Canada that offers a certified Vera Pizza Napoletana experience. Check out the above right photo for a glimpse of their custom wood-burning oven that was hand built by a 3rd generation pizza oven maker in Naples. The pizzas bake in less than 90 seconds at 900 degrees.

The prix fixe meal starts with complimentary bread served accompanied by olive oil with a dash of balsalmic vinegar.

There are three starters to choose from. The Arugula Salad (above) features pear slices, walnuts, shaved Piave (a slightly sweet hard cheese) and blackberry empire apple vinaigrette. The Caprese Salad (below) is similar to what I had at their sister restaurant Enoteca Sociale (minus the anchovies), with slices of green and yellow Cookstown heirloom tomato, Ontario fiore di latte, basil and olive oil. The last option is Bruschetta, which is grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with the chef’s daily creations.

Both myself and dining companion (and unofficial Enoteca Sociale promoter) C.Wong ordered the classic Margherita Pizza with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella. The other main choices are Marinara Pizza or Piadini of the day.

While it may be unfair, my brain instinctively makes a comparison with Terroni. I can say that the dough at Libretto is quite different — it’s thinner, chewier and the high-heat oven creates a lovely blistering effect on the crust. I will take a firm stance and say the tomato sauce at Libretto is superior. It’s more flavourful and tastes fresher. But Terroni gain a notch for their addictive hot chili peppers. The chili oil at Libretto is the only thing I feel really needs a makeover. While the colour is beautiful, the oil has no kick and doesn’t add anything in terms of spiciness. Everyone I know who’s dined there agrees it’s actually void of flavouring and just adds a layer of slickness to the surface of the pizzas.

The final course is dessert with a choice of three Mini Biscotti or a generous scoop of vanilla or chocolate Gelato. Considering a Margherita Pizza alone is $13, and the total cost of what I ordered (Caprese, Margherita, Gelato) would normally set me back $30, the $15 fixed price tag is a terrific deal. Plus, the half of my ‘za I couldn’t finish and took “to-go” made for an excellent mid-afternoon snack. So big thanks to Libretto for proving that having little choice can actually be a wonderful thing.

Pizza Libretto / 221 Ossington Ave., Toronto
416 532 8000 / Hours: Mon-Sat 12-11pm, Sun 4-11pm

There’s a new restaurant in Liberty Village that’s definitely a welcome addition. Cinquecento Trattoria (109 Atlantic Ave.) is all about homestyle Italian and at lunch it’s all about custom creating a plate that’s got exactly what you want on it.

Surrounded by glass, the ground floor features contemporary dark wood furniture and the garage-style doors that lift open to let the natural light and sunny weather flood in. The second floor boasts an excellent rooftop patio that’s perfect for a lazy-day lunch with your co-workers or in my case, a best friend.

I became a huge fan of Lili Mancini and her original Cafe Cinquecento on King Street West when I visited their unforgettable Notte Delle Mamma (Night of the Mommas) monthly event. While we’ve only met that one time before, she welcomed me like family when I bumped into her at Trattoria and insisted on dishing out a massive plate so I could taste the various offerings.

At lunchtime, it’s Tavola Calda, (aka cafeteria-style service) downstairs, though the food is not what you’d find in a normal cafeteria. In fact, it’s promoted as an authentic Italian-style hot table, which allows you to either take-out or eat-in.

I love the option of seeing my food before choosing what I want to eat, and the price depends on how many items you choose. One item is $7.95, two for $8.95, and obviously the best deal is three for $9.95. There are also paninis ($6.95) and pizzas available. Below are a few of my favourite items.

I’d never had Bread Lasagna before and was intrigued when I saw its cross-section. This is basically delicious melted cheese and slices of bread used instead of traditional noodles. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for something filling and substantial. I could only eat a few bites then I took the rest to-go (which made for part of an excellent dinner). I had to leave room for all the other goodies on my plate.

I absolutely loved the Stuffed Peppers. These were filled with seafood, cream sauce and cheese. I was sad that I ate mine too quickly.

Now say this three times fast: Sun-dried Tomato Mashed Potatoes. Actually, never mind. I recommend you just order it and eat them. This was a stand-out dish for me. The tomatoes added so much flavour to the potatoes that you’ll start to eye your companion’s serving even before you’ve finished your own.

The Daily Pasta was rigatoni noodles in a delectable tomato sauce with green peas and smoked salmon. While the noodles were slightly overcooked (hard to avoid that when food is prepared in advance), the sauce was some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Clearly, it’s made with Nonna’s special recipe.

While I wouldn’t normally order Veal, this was amazing. The meat was pounded very thinly, then covered with a mushroom demi-glaze. Other items on this day included Zucchini Flower Fritters, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Green Beans & Broccoli (I’m not a huge fan of these greens, but they were cooked to perfection and covered with butter and garlic. I was shocked at how much I liked them).

Sure Liberty Village already has School Bakery & Cafe, Liberty Noodle and Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, but when it comes to this ‘hood, my first choice would definitely be Cinquecento Trattoria.

Cinquecento Trattoria / 109 Atlantic Ave., Toronto
416 539 9390

This past Thursday my dear friend Elena had the wonderfully spontaneous idea of having dinner at the Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market. Held year round from 3-7pm every Thursday, it’s a lovely place to grab a snack, pick up some fruit or veggies and have a picnic. I was starving when we arrived and headed straight to the stand run by ChocoSol Traders, lured by their promise of a $5 Quesadilla.

People are usually drawn to the ChocoSol stall by the artisanal chocolate, but on this evening I really wanted something substantial and savoury. Each Quesadilla is made to order, and you literally watch them press out a fresh corn tortilla and cook it on the circular grill. It’s then filled with beans, cheese, greens and either a mild or slightly spicy salsa. Mine was devoured quickly since there a cute baby who had also her eye my quesadilla.

Wash it all down with a cool glass of ChocSol’s specialty, Ice Cold Drinking Chocolate. It’ll set you back $5 for a cup or bring your own mug and pay whatever you want. I’m not totally sure what’s in it, but it tastes like a mixture of water, high-quality dark chocolate (no crappy Nestle Quik here), possibly a hint of ginger and a few other things. Elena’s pretty sure it’s also dairy free.

In the winter, Dufferin Grove is a must visit for their Friday Night Supper and Ice Skating, which I wrote about here. Until the cold weather starts a nippin’, check out ChocoSol Trader at these farmers’ markets:
Dufferin Grove on Thursday’s 3-7pm
Don Valley Brickworks on Saturday’s 8am-2pm
Riverdale Farmer’s Market on Tuesday’s 3-7pm

Eating at Olive & Bonacini’s latest venture, O&B Canteen (330 King Street W.) can be a truly blissful experience. Just check out the facial expression of my pal Jason, who’s clearly lost himself in the perfectly scrambled eggs. But there’s much more than traditional breakfast offerings here at the Canteen, including a butty or two.

O&B Canteen is located at King and John Street, inside the brand spanking new TIFF Bell Lightbox. Set to open on Sept 12, the headquarters for the Toronto Film Festival hopes to become the world’s premiere centre for film.

The Canteen’s interior is incredibly spacious, airy and casual. It’s an ideal spot for a breakfast meet-up to catch up with a good friend before your day starts. And why not kick-off the morning with a Butty. A what? Just take a look at that section of the menu.

Neither Jason or I had ever heard of a Butty, but it reminded us of the West Indian word “dutty” (hence the headline). We deduced that it meant a sandwich, and guessed it had something to do with those Brits. A quick wiki search yielded our hunch correct, since butty is a British word for a bacon sandwich.

I went for the Canteen Butty ($5) which is a fried egg, shredded cheddar, smoked ham and Canteen Catsup squeezed between a fresh bun. The egg was still quite runny and the yolk oozed onto my plate with the first bite. A quick swipe with the bun cleaned up the bright yellow mess. The one thing missing from my butty was seasoning. While the housemade catsup that’s spiced with cinnamon, coriander and celery seed helps, a sprinkle of salt and pepper would have really made the flavours pop.

There are other non-butty offerings on the breakfast menu including Steak & Eggs, an Omelette, Eggs Benedict and Brioche French Toast. At 11:30am, they switch to an all-day menu.

Jason went with the Breakfast Lite ($10) containing two eggs (any way), fresh garden tomatoes with chives, parsley and olive oil, and whole grain toast. Jason’s thoughts on food are what I like to call Plato Putas Quotables, so here’s what he had to say: “Without a shadow of a doubt, I ordered a two-egg platter prepared in the scrambled manner, which came with a delectable side of tomato salad, so juicy and sweet to the tastebuds of my tongue! Regrettably, I cannot be as complementary where the whole grain toast is concerned. Unbuttered, with no butter or jam offered on the side, ‘twould be better suited to a prison cafeteria. Breakfast? More like ‘Prison Break-fast.’ Indeed.”

Considering the O&B Canteen is open 7 days a week, and breakfast starts at 7am, it’s one of the best bets for a great morning meal. And if you’re rushing to get to work before your boss does, head straight to the Grab+Go counter and get your butty (or whatever else you’d like) to go.

O&B Canteen / 330 King St. West, Toronto
647 288 4710

If you’re craving more than a massive Popcorn Chicken, here’s everything you need to know about eating in San Diego. I stayed in the Gaslamp District which is fairly touristy and thus harder to find great restaurants. So I did some serious research before heading down (or as I like to call it, pre-production) to find the best places to eat. Thankfully we ended up with several memorable meals, including sushi, Mexican and a good dinner. I already reported on the obscenely massive brunch at local favourite Hash House a Go Go, so here I round up the rest of the best, on a modest budget.

Valentine’s Mexican Food
842 Market Street at 9th Ave. / 619 234 8256
Valentine’s was the only place we visited more than once on our five-day trip. It was recommended by the valet guy at our hotel when we pressed him for a cheap place to eat that’s frequented by locals. True to his word, it was around the corner from Hotel Indigo, the place was void of tourists and the food was inexpensive and terrific. We ate a Fish Taco ($2.45), Beef Burrito ($3.50, shown below right), but the best was the Tortilla Soup (shown left) featuring beans, a hearty tomato broth, celery, peppers, cheese and pieces of avocado.

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Bread on Market
730 Market Street at 8th Ave. / 619 795 2730
When I’m travelling and not staying at a B&B, I like breakfast to be a fast and substantial affair. I don’t want to waste my time with a sit-down meal because I like to get started on the day’s itinerary as soon as possible. Bread on Market fit the bill perfectly with their Breakfast Burrito. The wrap is filled with egg, bacon and smashed potato, served with a side of pico de gallo. It’s great as take-out, allowing me to consume one on the way to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Oh, this lovely place also makes great sandwiches (which we took into the zoo and ate instead of paying big bucks for subpar grub).

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Taka Sushi
555 5th Avenue at Market St. / 619 338 0555
One of our splurge meals was at Taka Sushi, where we were treated to some of the freshest sushi around. We sat at the bar, advised by a personal sushi chef on the best bets of the day. After salmon and fatty tuna nigiri, I knew I had to get the aptly named house specialty: Special Battera ($17 for 6 pieces). This classic Kansai-style sushi can be best described as rectangular maki. I watched as raw tuna, shrimp, crab, seaweed, rice and orange caviar is pressed into a long box then topped with black caviar and green onion. It’s so visually enticing and unique, this alone makes a trip to Taka worthwhile.

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Jsix
616 J Street at 6th Ave. / 619 531 8744
Hotel restaurants aren’t usually on my must-eat list when traveling but Jsix became the exception because it was a consistently recommend on Chowhound. It’s located on the main floor of Hotel Solamar in the Gaslamp District. Chef Christian Graves truly embraces local ingredients and believes in making everything from scratch. I was blown away by my Pork Belly appetizer and had to fight the urge not to lick my plate clean when I ordered the Homemade Ravioli. Prices were very reasonable considering the quality and while I’m sure it’s against the rules, consider bringing tupperware to take home the complimentary olive tapenade and bread. It’s really that good.

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At the end of June, I received this postcard from my eating pal C.Wong who was ecstatic about her meal at the newly opened Enoteca Sociale (1288 Dundas Street West). I hold her food opinions in high regard and the simple, post-marked rave review indicated that a visit of my own was in order.

Thankfully my friend Shannon was up for a late weeknight meal at the self-described “real Italian wine bar.” I’ve been following the restaurant’s Twitter feed and salivating at the daily specials and Chef Rocco Agostino’s Nonna-inspired menu. In fact, I studied Enoteca’s offerings so closely, that I knew exactly how I wanted to start my meal.

Up first was the Ontario Buffalo Mozzarella, Heirloom Tomatoes & Marinated Anchovies ($11). The yellow and green tomatoes were absolutely gorgeous, the cheese creamy and soft, and the anchovies were distinct but not as salty as I expected.

Postcard-writer C.Wong highly recommended the Artichoke Fries ($8). She described it as sliced artichoke pieces that were lightly battered, fried and then served with the most delicious garlicky aioli. I’d say her description and her insistence that we order it was spot on.

I really respect Enoteca Sociale’s commitment to not serve bottled water. Among the other ideologies stated on their website: “We do not serve bottled water, in order to reduce the carbon foot print and other environmental ramifications of this trend. We instead serve purified Toronto water and carbonated filtered water.” Three cheers for that!

The space itself is very lively and warm, with a casual, rustic feel. The only downside is the acoustics. The exposed brick means sound bounces easily and at times it’s hard to hear what the person across from you is saying.

Thankfully one thing I did hear (albeit beforehand) is the pastas are superb, which prompted Shannon to order the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe ($10). This was a shallow bowl of perfectly cooked noodles, pecorino cheese and black pepper. Perfectly simple and perfectly delectable.

I was yearning for the polenta and braised oxtail I’d heard so much about, but sadly it wasn’t among the specials that night. Instead I went with Bucatini All-Amatriciana ($12). The portion is not huge, but likely a proper amount. The thick tubular pasta was well coated in the spicy tomato sauce and dotted with guanciale. (If you’re not sure what kind of meat this is, do yourself a favour and don’t wiki it. There’s an accompanying photo that made me squeamish.) I unfortunately had that visual burned into my brain when I ate this, but that didn’t stop me from immensely enjoying the noodles. It had the perfect amount of kick and the sauce was so good that at the end I was left scraping the dish with my fork, trying to devour every last remnant. It was slightly embarrassing, really.

Now Magazine may have given Enoteca Sociale only a so-so write-up with a 2/5 rating, but in this case, I’m glad I trusted the C.Wong postcard review. (In regards to the Now criticisms, the waitress didn’t once try to up-sell or push the tasting menu on us.) So if you’re gonna listen to only one trustworthy source, take it from the one that required a stamp and featured three simple words: “It was delicious!”

Enoteca Sociale / 1288 Dundas St. West, Toronto
416 534 1200 / Hours: Daily 5-11pm

This past Saturday two of my very dear friends, Noreel and Romina, tied the ol’ knot. And they did so at an intimate venue, with lovely unique details, over my favourite weekend meal — brunch! It was the first brunch wedding I’ve ever attended, and I was very excited to sample the food. So once the ceremony ended and I dabbed my eyes dry after their hilarious and touching vows, it was all about custom-made breakfast sandwiches and frozen hot chocolate drinks.

The wedding was held at The Richmond, a “green” venue that’s committed to reducing the environmental footprint of each event. The space featured tons of natural light, 20-foot exposed ceilings, a loft balcony and had two distinct areas set-up for food and drinks.

Catering was provided by Daniel et Daniel and the offerings were varied and plentiful. I had a couple (okay, three) Smoked Salmon on Mini Bagels and adored the Cinnamon Roll Lollipops.

There was plenty of fruit, cheese and other pastries, but I was most excited about the tailor-made Breakfast Sandwiches.

First you chose a white or whole wheat english muffin, and it was topped with some perfectly cooked scrambled eggs. You could add proscuitto, real bacon bits, two types of cheese, tomato slices or arugula then each individual sandwich was given a couple minutes in a panini press. It was a brunch pièce de résistance! The spicy ketchup and skewers of well-seasoned potatoes were also a hit.

After the morning celebration, everyone headed home to enjoy their Saturday afternoon with bike rides, visits to the park and well, in my case, an unusually long nap. Then we were back at the Richmond that evening for a huge party with the couple’s closest friends. Of course, that meant more food like wraps, fresh spring rolls and mini burgers. Then they rolled out the desserts and in my humble opinion, I’d way rather nosh on Ice Cream Sandwiches and Mini Cupcakes than wedding cake any day.

Congrats to my dear friends on a truly unforgettable day, and a big shout out to the bride Romina, who put in tons of hard work planning the wedding (chronicled on her blog Do.Bake.Sew.Think). Everyone walked away from the night with their tummies full, feeling slightly tipsy, with the most “awesomest” parting gift I’ve ever seen.

Welcome to Taco Hell. Every Sunday at OddFellows (936 Queen St. W.) the young, hip and hungry gather for this aptly named dinner event to nosh on all-you-can-eat tacos. It’s $15 per person and sitting along their communal table or out on the side patio is a great alternative to a traditional Sunday night dinner. Based on my first experience, the “hell” part likely refers to the way you feel after distending your stomach way past its normal capacity. I literally thought I was going to have a taco baby.

It’s the second summer OddFellows is offering their AYCE taco night. It starts promptly at 7pm and they recommend you show up right for the beginning. Head to the back bar to order your drink and purchase a plate. Then join the line-up leading to the buffet style table to construct your first taco.

This past Sunday there were three types of tortilla, two meat options (steak and chorizo) and fish ceviche. There’s also potatoes, beans, rice, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, an addictive mango salsa, shredded cheese, green onions, jalapenos, a marinated mixture featuring cheese with red onions, and a cabbage-like ’slaw that I couldn’t get enough of.

In terms of salsa, there’s a mild version that seems store-bought, a spicy homemade salsa verde, and a few others including a bright red sauce that’s killer spicy. It took about five minutes for my taste buds to recover from the numbness. Labels explaining the contents of each bowl (and their relative spiciness) is the only thing missing from this buffet. Don’t worry about items running out as they’re replenished throughout the night. There’s also a great selection of hot sauces on the table, but after a dip in the salsas, there’s little need for them.

The greatest challenge is definitely showing restraint — in terms of the number of fixings you pile onto your taco and the number of tacos you consume. I started off with fish and steak, but ended up deciding I liked the chorizo best. Then I went vegetarian in an effort to cleanse and eventually started piling my favourite toppings on my plate like a platter. Yes, excessive is the correct word.

Five tacos later I was entered taco hell.

As if all that food wasn’t enough, there’s also tortilla chips and fried pig skin bits on the table.

I really can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday evening. It’s an infinite amount of food for a great price, the company is lively and there are guest DJs spinning tunes. Sure it’s called Taco Hell, but if you show enough restraint it can feel like a meal in heaven.

OddFellows / 936 Queen Street West, Toronto
416 534 5244 / Taco Hell, Sundays starting at 7pm

Ever wonder where rappers eat? When it comes to hip-hop and food, Plato Putas has you covered from Drake, Clipse and The Roots’ drummer ?uestlove. This time we point the lens at some homegrown talent, posing the question to Kardinal Offishall, Choclair and singer Darryl Riley. Press play to hear their lively answers and find out why Chocs sticks with a popular joint and where Kardi gets a spectacular roti and his very specific advice on what you should get on it.

Choclair was initially hesitant to share his favourite Toronto restaurant because it’s so mainstream: The Keg (various locations). But he can’t get enough of the mashed potatoes, steak and garlic shrimp.

Twice as Nice (4190 Kingston Road, Scarborough) is where Darryl Riley hits when he has a hankering for Caribbean food. He’s a huge fan of their oxtail and jerk chicken.

Kardinal Offishall travels long distances to visit Roti Hut (351 Pitfield Road, Scarborough, near McCowan and 401). He recommends pre-ordering the Parathi Roti, but if you’re just walking in, get the Curry Goat Roti. He stresses that you absolutely must add pumpkin to make it a meal you’ll never forget.

There are few things better than trying out a new restaurant with a favourite eating companion. On this particular evening I was accompanied by fellow  food-lover and TV producer Jason F., and we headed to Origin (107 King St. East), the newest venture by Colbourne Lane’s Claudio Aprile. Sadly, Claudio was not working the kitchen when we arrived, but with the best seat in the house, our meal was as entertaining as good TV.

Origin is described as a spontaneous, high-energy restaurant and the mood is definitely hip and loud, with a restaurant on one side and a lively upscale bar/lounge on the other. There’s also a recently opened patio for those who prefer to dine outside.

When making the reservation, I made sure to request two seats along the dining bar. It’s perfect for duos and gives you a front-row seat to all the open-kitchen action. Jason and I were enraptured by one poor sous chef who kept getting reemed out for not putting enough dressing on his salads and for forgetting certain details with a plate’s presentation. Plus, there was a tempting container filled with smoked bacon that required plenty of willpower to not reach out and snatch a piece.

Executive Chef and Owner Aprile has made it quite clear that he’s not fond of intrusive and inaccurate bloggers (via a blog post which has since been removed but was captured by Toronto Life here), so I tried to be fairly inconspicious (though I generally don’t use flash or a bulky camera). We did get a bit of a look from one of the kitchen staff (as seen in the picture above), but it was worth the stink eye in order to document my meal properly.

All dishes are served tapas style and are meant to be shared, which fit Jason and I just fine because we each hate having food envy. The menu is divided into six categories:  Snacks & Sides, Raw Bar, Mozzarella Bar, Chilled, Hot, and Sweet. Before ordering, we agreed we would pick three dishes each, and the person with the best dishes would get a free meal. This questionable game was eventually thrown out when we realized the bill would be in the three-digit range, plus we broke the rules when we buckled and added an order of fries. Then we buckled again and got desserts.

Things started off with my first pick: Deviled Eggs + Gremolata + Smoked Bacon ($3). This was the one dish that drew constant raves on Chowhound, and I was attracted because of the hype and the strangeness of eating deviled eggs at a place like this. It’s definitely dainty, the yolk was rich and mushy which contrasted with the crisp bacon shard.

Since our weakness is fries, we dove into the Spicy Spanish Fries + chorizo + manchego ($8). This was a dish that disappeared quickly as we dipped them constantly in the accompanying dollops of aioli.

Next was a Jason pick: Japanese Style Tuna Salad + Asian Pear + Avocado + Spicy Ponzu Dressing ($16). We both loved this dish and were tempted to slurp up the dressing at the end.

My next choice was the Bangkok Beef Salad + Peanut + Mint + Mango + Fried Onion + Nam Jim Dressing ($15). This was not as good as the tuna salad, but the beef was wonderfully tender and the dressing was surprisingly sweet.

When we moved onto the hot category, our satisfaction with the dishes diminshed. First up was my chosen Miso-Glazed Black Cod + Soba Noodle Salad + Ginger Vinaigrette + Miso Broth ($19, not shown). I am a HUGE fan of miso-glazed fish, but there was definitely something off about this one. The glaze felt too tangy and strong, completely overpowering the fatty fish. The soba noodles were the best thing in the bowl.

Jason went with the Seared Scallop + Ponzu Hollandaise + Grain Salad + Roe ($15). While the scallops were well cooked, the dish was once again complicated by overpowering flavours that didn’t mesh. The hollandaise was much too rich, the roe way too salty and the quinoa didn’t seem to go with anything.

But Origin redeemed itself with a very simple dessert. It was so delicious that I would happily come back and just order two of these…for myself. Their Hot Chocolate Cake + Candied Citrus + Soft Serve ($9) is exactly how I’d want to end every meal. I used my spoon to scoop the goey melted chocolate centre with the light vanilla ice cream creating the perfect bite to end a not-quite-perfect-but-still-memorable meal.

Origin / 107-109 King St. East, Toronto
416 603 8009 / Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, Dinner: 7 days a week 5pm-close